Contracts of Employment

If you have a question in relation to your Contract of Employment, then Blacks Solicitors’ expert Employment Law team can help.

If your employment will last for more than a month, your employer must provide you with a written statement confirming the main terms of your employment.

This statement must be provided within two months after the start of your employment. Many employers go further than this basic requirement and issue their employees with a more comprehensive Contract of Employment. However, at the very least you are entitled to receive a Statement of Terms and Conditions (often referred to as a Section 1 Statement).

The practical benefit of a written Contract of Employment is that both you and your employer will have, from the start, a common understanding of the terms that govern your relationship.

A well-drafted Contract of Employment will make clear your obligations and responsibilities as an employee and reduce the risk of misunderstanding later in the relationship. A Section 1 Statement must contain the following minimum terms:

The names of the employer and employee

The date employment started and the date the employee’s period of continuous employment began

The rate of pay (or method of calculating it) and the interval for payment

The hours of work

The holiday entitlement and holiday pay

The job title or a brief description of the work

The place of work

Any terms requiring work outside the UK for a period of more than one month

Any terms as to the length of temporary or fixed term work

Details of disciplinary and grievance procedures

Details of any collective agreements directly affecting the employment

Terms relating to sickness absence and sick pay

The notice periods for termination (by either side)

Terms as to pensions and pension schemes

If you are not given a Statement of Terms at the start of your employment you can claim up to four weeks’ pay as compensation, provided your claim is brought in conjunction with another substantive claim (such as unfair dismissal). In the absence of any other claim, you can still apply to the Employment Tribunal for a declaration either confirming your terms of employment or amending them, as the Tribunal considers appropriate.

For more information about how Blacks can help you with issues relating to your Contract of Employment, or for a free no obligation discussion, please email or call our Employment Law team today on 0113 207 0000.

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